Trafford

Born during the December quarter 1892 in the Alrtrincham R.D. - ref:
8a/186, the only son of Thomas & Harriet Anderson (nee Green).

1901 Census - Somerset Place, Ashton upon Mersey.    Son - aged: 8 - born:
Sale.  Head of household - Thomas Anderson - Married - aged: 44 - occ:
Railway Clerk - born: Salford.   Also - Harriett Anderson - Wife - aged: 41
- born: Manchester.    Plus 2 elder sisters.  The family must have moved
from Salford to Ashton upon Mersey c1889.  [note - his father worked at
Liverpool Road Station, Manchester]

In 1902, his father was promoted to Chief Clerk in the forwarding Office,
at London Road and the family moved to "Lyndhurst", Park Avenue, Ashton
upon Mersey.

His father - Thomas, died on the 4th September 1910.     Without Thomas'
income, the family were forced to move to Old Trafford very soon after
Thomas' death., temporarily settling at Worthington Street, Old Trafford. 
By the time war was declared in 1914, they werre residing at 

1911 Census - 49 Worthington Street, Old Trafford.     Son - aged: 18 -
occ: Clerk - born: Sale.     Head of household - Harriett Anderson - Widow
- aged: 51 - born: Manchester.    Plus 2 elder sisters.  [note - employed
as a Clerk in a Plumber's Merchants]

Enlisted into the 15th Battalion Royal Scots (Manchester Scottish), served
in the 101st Brigade, 15th Division on the Western Front.  He was then sent
to their Depot in Edinburgh for training, moving to Troon, Ripon and then
in August 1915, to Sutton Veney, Wiltshire.  After Christmas leave, he was
posted to France.   Wounded during an assault against a German position
near Roclincourt.   

WO363 - Residing at 44 Premier Street, Brookes's Bar, Stretford, he
enlisted at Manchester on the 5th January 1915.   Aged: 22 years 1 month
and employed as a Clerk.     Height: 5 feet 8 inches - Weight: 128 lb -
Expanded chest: 35 inches with 2½ inches expansion.  Born at Sale.
Home service from 5th January 1915 to the 7th January 1916.  Embarked at
Southampton and to Le Havre, France on the 8th January 1916. 

Received a G.S.W. (gunshot wound) to his scalp on the 3rd April 1916, going
back to duty.   Admitted to 102 Field Ambulance on the 13th June 1916
sufferring from Myalgia and onto the 34th Divisional R.S., returning to his
unit on the 22nd June 1916.

On the first day of the Battle of the Somme - 1st July 1916, his Battalion
attacked at La Boiselle, so he would have been close at hand and witnessed
the blowing up of the La Boiselle Mine.   The Battalion suffered heavy
casualties going up "Sausage Valley" - 628 in 7 days.

On the 17th July 1916, he received a G.S.W. to his right hand and was
repatriated in the Hospital Ship H.S. "Newhaven" and into the General
Military Hospital at Colchester, Essex.   Transferred to the Royal Scots
Rgt Depot on the 19th July 1916 - to the 3rd Battalion R.S. on the 9th
September 1916.

Drafted to France again on the 3rd November 1916, this time to reinforce
the 2nd Battalion  - In the Field, he was transferred back into the 15th
Battalion on the 28th November 1916.   The 2nd Battailion were then at
Vauchelles-lès-Authie and moved into the front line on the 12th November
1916, attacking on the 13th.    Relieved on the 14th having sustained 274
casualties.

Wounded on the 9th April 1917 - admitted to 103 Field Ambulance on the 14th
April 1917, suffering from Trench Foot.   Sent back to No.7 Canadian
General Hospital, Etaples on the 18th April and repatriated back to the UK
in the H.S. "St. Denis" and into the Queen's Canadian Hospital,
Shorncliffe, Kent.   Transferred to the Lancashire Military Convalescent
Hospital, Blackpool. on the 21st May 1917.   Hospital Furlow from the 18th
to the 27th September 1917.  Drafted back to France for the final time on
the 24th December 1917, where he joined his Battalionin the Line at
Fontaine les Croisilles, between Arras & Cambrai.

January 1918 started with very poor weather including snow which thawed at
the middle of the month, making conditions even more wretched.   The thaw
made the communication trenches impassable so that carrying parties had to
move over the tops.  Private Anderson was the only Manchester contingent
(of the Royal Scots) fatality at this time. 

His mother (at least) must have moved to 44 Premier Street, Brooks's Bar
during or after the end of the War. 

Both the Sale & Ashton upon Mersey Cenotaph and the Ashton United Reform
Mermorial lists name as B. Anderson (presumably as he was known locally as
'Bert').

Commemorated on the family gravestone in St. Martin's Churchyard, A on M. 
His father Thomas, was born 20/08/1856 and died 04/09/1910 aged 54 years
and his mother Harriet, died on 29/11/1945 aged 89 years.  They were late
of Ashton upon Mersey.

Ashton M.I. - "The Supreme Sacrifice - His Life".      French M.I. - "Peace
after storm".

MIC - Victory & BWM - no other details.

See "Manchester Scottish" by Roger Dowson.    See also the Stretford
Database.

Commemorated in the Stretford Book and on the Stretford Cenotaph.